Undefeated Hawkeyes will take on Life team that will ‘fully expect to win’
Iowa women’s wrestlers cheer on Iowa’s Reese Larramendy (left) as she wrestles Life University’s Jamilah McBryde during the Soldier Salute wrestling tournament in Coralville, Iowa on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY — As expected for a team that has gone 11-0 and has the No. 1 ranking in the country, Iowa women’s wrestling has no shortage of confidence.
Advertisement
“We all believe we’re the best in the country truly,” Iowa 155-pound wrestler Marlynne Deede said.
That claim will be put to the test this weekend as Iowa and Life University — the No. 1 teams in the NCAA and NAIA, respectively — face off on Sunday during the Iowa Duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Life, like Iowa, is 11-0 in duals this season. When Iowa won five titles at Soldier Salute in Coralville last month, Life accounted for three of the other five titles.
“They fully expect to win,” Iowa associate head coach Gary Mayabb said of Life. “They plan on it.”
Advertisement
The McBryde sisters — Zaynah, Jamilah and Latifah — are a formidable trio at 136, 143 and 155 pounds. (They are ranked ninth, first and second among NAIA wrestlers in their respective weight classes.) Sarah Savidge, meanwhile, is the No. 2 NAIA wrestler at 130 pounds.
“We’re going against a very tough Life team,” Iowa 143-pound wrestler Reese Larramendy said. “But also knowing what we’re capable of, not giving them too (much) respect where we hinder our talents and our strengths.”
Larramendy knows as well as anyone how difficult Life can be after getting pinned by Life’s Jamilah McBryde in the Soldier Salute finals. Despite losing, it was “one of my favorite matches for sure.”
“Those matches are hard to come away with a loss in, but I learned a lot about myself,” Larramendy said.
Larramendy is confident her rematch with McBryde “will be a very different match.”
Advertisement
“But I still have to go and prove it,” Larramendy said. “I can believe that, but until I prove it, it doesn’t mean much.”
Iowa’s Lilly Luft also settled for second place at Soldier Salute at 136 pounds, losing via decision to Zaynah McBryde in the finals. Iowa wrestler Emily Frost lost twice at Soldier Salute to Savidge on her way to a second-place finish as well.
What happens at Frost, Luft and Larramendy’s weight classes — 130, 136 and 143 — could determine how competitive Life can be against the Hawkeyes, especially considering Iowa’s strengths at the beginning and end of the lineup.
Either way, Deede — she won in November via decision over Life’s Latifah McBryde, by the way — has no shortage of confidence in the top-ranked Hawkeyes.
“Same plan as always,” Deede said. “We’re going to go and dominate.”
BRONSON, Iowa (KTIV) – As recovery continues in Northwest Iowa from Saturday’s field fires, one family witnessed the fire firsthand.
On Saturday. March 28, more than 50 organizations from three states responded to a large field fire in Woodbury County.
Several of these organizations worked throughout the night to assist in emergency operations.
Ruth Smith, a Bronson resident, says she and her family saw the fire burn in their backyard, and before she knew it the field in her backyard was fully engulfed in flames.
Advertisement
“Came out and was looking out the back window and we could see the flames, out there in the field there,” said Smith. “It just, you know, spread so fast.”
Residents from Lawton, Bronson, and Moville had to evacuate their homes for their safety, including members of Smith’s family.
“My daughter and son,” said Smith. “They grabbed some of their stuff and threw it in bags, went down to my in-laws’ house.”
From her house, Smith says she could see her neighbor’s shed catch fire and how she felt throughout the night.
“The emotions are scary when the wind is that crazy and you know the ground is that dry and it spreads really fast,” said Smith.
Advertisement
A common fear for residents like Smith is the fear of running out of water.
“We’re out here and they’re no fire hydrants, so it’s pretty scary,” said Smith.
Derek Stanfield, the Salix fire chief says a portable water site has been set up at Lawton-Bronson High School.
“We are dumping water in these holding tanks and as trucks need water, they come here, we fill them out of the tanks,” he said. “That allows these trucks to get back on the road, get water, get back, so we don’t run out.”
Center now open in Bronson for those impacted by Saturday’s field fire
Woodbury County Emergency Management says a respite center is now open at Lofted Views Event Center, located at 2086 210th St. in Bronson.
Advertisement
Those impacted by the fires are encouraged to seek assistance by visiting the center to meet with American Red Cross case workers.
Management says for concerns about recovery efforts, residents can call (712)-222-4400.
Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app.
Iowa Colony police say a caller saw a man go underwater in the Meridiana subdivision and did not resurface.
Police Lights (KPRC/Click2Houston.com)
IOWA COLONY, Texas – Iowa Colony police recovered the body of a man Saturday night after witnesses reported seeing him go underwater in a retention pond in the Meridiana subdivision, authorities said.
Officers were dispatched around 7:04 p.m. to a pond behind the 10400 block of Kahlo Court after a caller reported a man was swimming, submerged and did not resurface, according to the Iowa Colony Police Department.
Police said responding officers immediately began searching the area. The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Colony Fire Department and Manvel Fire Department assisted at the scene, and the Fort Bend County Dive and Water Rescue Team was called in to help.
Advertisement
Divers with the Fort Bend County team located the man around 10:10 p.m. and pronounced him deceased, police said.
The man’s identity and the cause of death have not been released. Police said no foul play is suspected and the investigation remains ongoing.
Breaking News Alerts
More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
About the Author
Christian Hudspeth
Christian Hudspeth is a Houston native who joined KPRC 2 News in December 2025. Christian began his news career at KTRK in 2022 before moving to newsrooms in Waco, Texas (KXXV), Las Vegas, Nevada (KTNV), and now back to H-Town. He earned his BA at the University of Houston Jack J. Valenti School of Communication in 2023.
HOUSTON — Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and Illinois ended Iowa’s underdog March Madness run by dominating in the frontcourt, beating the Hawkeyes 71-59 on Saturday to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2005.
This will be the sixth trip to the Final Four for Illinois, which has never won a national title. The Fighting Illini will face either Duke or UConn next weekend in Indianapolis.
The much taller Illini (28-8) outrebounded Iowa 38-21 in the South Region final. David Mirkovic led the way with 12 rebounds.
Keaton Wagler, who scored a game-high 25 points, shoots a jumper over Tavion Banks during the Illini’s 71-59 win over Iowa in the Elite Eight on March 28, 2026. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Coach Brad Underwood’s emphasis on recruiting in Eastern Europe has paid off in this tournament. Tomislav Ivisic of Croatia, who stands 7-foot-1, and his 7-2 twin brother Zvonimir have shined in March.
Advertisement
Andrej Stojakovic, who was born in Greece but whose father is Serbian three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic, scored 17 points for third-seeded Illinois.
Andrej Stojakovic, who scored 17 points off the bench, drives on Cooper Koch during the Illini’s Elite Eight win over Iowa. Maria Lysaker-Imagn ImagesBennett Stirtz, who scored a team-high 24 points in a losing effort, goes up for a layup as Tomislav Ivisic defends during Iowa’s Elite Eight loss to the Illini. AP
His famous father watched proudly as his son punched his ticket to the Final Four, and Wagler’s parents — who met when they played basketball at a junior college in Kansas — cheered wildly throughout for their son, who was named MVP of the region.
Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points for the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (24-13), who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round as part of an impressive run under first-year coach Ben McCollum, a four-time Division II national champion at Northwest Missouri State.
